Amanda Holst
MA, LPC, LAC, ATR
she, her, hers
CO-Founder,
Executive Director,
ART Therapist
“I genuinely believe that it is my calling to assist youth in navigating their mental health struggles and reaching their potential to shine.”
About Amanda
Amanda is a warm-hearted and enthusiastic art therapist and substance abuse counselor at restART studio. Guided by client-centered and trauma-informed principles, Amanda recognizes that presenting behavioral challenges are often a result of experienced trauma and mental health struggles. She believes in collaborating with youth to find methods of self-expression that work best for them.
Amanda is passionate about sharing the impact of art therapy having experienced the healing power of the practice firsthand. She believes that art can be a way to speak the unspeakable. Amanda’s goal as a therapist is to work alongside her clients as they become aware of their inner experiences, learn to express themselves, heal traumas, and recognize their individual strengths. She strives to help youth move through the shadow, embrace their authentic self, and learn to let their inner light shine.
Amanda graduated from Naropa University with a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Art Therapy. She also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Alcohol and Drug Studies and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education, both from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Amanda is a Registered Art Therapist (ATR), a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, and a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor (LADC) in Minnesota.
Amanda’s clinical experience primarily includes mental health and substance abuse counseling for at-risk adolescents and children with severe trauma. She also has experience treating young adults struggling with psychotic disorders and facilitating art groups for autistic youth. In addition to restART studio, Amanda previously founded a private practice - Soul Expressions Art Therapy and Counseling.
Board of directors
KRISTA MARKS
CO-Founder &
Board Chair
Krista is the Chief Product Officer of Saga Education, which she came to through its 2020 acquisition of Woot Math. She was CEO and Co-Founder of Woot Math, a research-backed platform designed to help teachers deeply engage through teacher-led, self-paced and peer-to-peer activities. Krista was previously a Vice President at Disney, which she came to through its 2008 acquisition of Kerpoof where she was also CEO and Co-Founder. The tools created at Disney and Kerpoof allowed millions of children to create, save and share artwork in safe online environments.
Krista has been honored with numerous awards including the Kids at Play Interactive (KAPi) award for “Emerging Pioneer” at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show, multiple recognitions with her team at Xilinx for delivering innovative networking solutions, and The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s highest achievement award for her contributions to high energy physics instrumentation. She holds multiple U.S. patents and was proud to be asked to give the 2011 Commencement Address for the University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing.
In addition to restART studio, Krista proudly serves on the board of directors for the National Center for Women & Information Technology and the Silicon Flatirons Center for Entrepreneurship (Univ. of Colorado). She is heavily involved in the Boulder startup scene and has been a Techstars mentor for many years. Krista believes in the importance of finding innovative ways to ensure that all youth have the foundation they need to succeed. She is especially passionate about getting more students interested in technology and entrepreneurship.
she, her, hers
Tom Fischaber
he, him, his
Board Secretary
& Treasurer
Tom is a serial entrepreneur and engineer that brings over 20 years of experience delivering award-winning products to market. Tom currently serves as VP of Technical Operations at Saga Education, a leading educational and technology non-profit. Tom and his co-founders have successfully started and sold two companies in the education sector, Woot Math (to Saga) and Kerpoof (acquired by Disney). Tom received an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Tom has been issued eighteen U.S. patents and serves on the Board of Directors for restART studio and the Advisory Board for the CSM EE and CS Department.
Cindy Gordon
PhD, LPC, ATR-BC, CAAP
she, her, hers
Board Member
Cindy is a licensed professional counselor and a board-certified art therapist in private practice in Longmont, CO.. She works with adults facing a variety of challenges including trauma, grief, climate grief, body image, anxiety, and life transitions. She also has a special interest working with people with cancer and conducts art therapy workshops at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center. In addition, Cindy has a certification in Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy, and works with animals in therapy which, she believes, fosters the healing and growing process.
Alexis Carter-Black
she, her, hers
Board member
Alexis has built a twenty-five year career working in the public sector - for government and non-profit organizations in the fields of education, healthcare, the environment, and public policy advocacy. She has focused her career on program planning and evaluation, grant proposal development and writing, fundraising, strategic planning, and Board development. Alexis has raised more than $70 million for a variety of programs and projects, and prefers working with organizations that center equity in their work. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from the University of Oklahoma, and currently serves as the Senior Director of Grants and Advancement at Saga Education.
Lisa Bevens
she, her, hers
Board Advisor
Lisa is a native Minnesotan who started a second career after being in the financial industry for about 30 years. As an eight-year entrepreneur, she now works alongside seniors and their families as they navigate the overwhelming process of downsizing and moving. Her empathetic nature helps her to be more than an average resource for her clients. Lisa has had an interest in the benefits of Art Therapy ever since she realized that her young children were able to work through their feelings on paper even when they couldn’t verbally communicate what they were feeling. Her role as advisor on restART studio’s Board helps her feel connected to the work that made such a difference in her family’s life.